Sweets, candies and chocolates

This is not the image I initially expected to see as my winner, so I surprised myself a little when it crept up my placings to the top spot! It is a quirky, amusing image, with just a hint of naughtiness, which I hope was fun to shoot for you and your model. Focus, exposure, composition, lighting etc etc - all spot on. The colours you have chosen are wonderful, well in keeping with the theme of sweets and candies. Although I have tried, I can find nothing to criticise! Congratulations on your winning image.

Your skill as a chocolate maker looks to match your skill as a photographer, as both are beautifully done. Whilst the focusing is clear, there is a slight softness to the image which gives an elegant, stylish feel, which perfectly suits the subject of these sophisticated chocolates. Lighting is gentle, with no harsh shadows and again in keeping with the subject, the colour saturation has been nicely held back. The addition of the pearls in the set-up add to the feeling of luxury. Congratulations on your placing.

This delicate, pastel image was in stark contrast to many of the entries, with their garish colours which almost made me feeling like rushing around the room as an after-effect of all the additives and artificial colourings observed! I love the gentle colours - soft grey, blue and pink, and I like the tight composition and square framing. The wide aperture and shallow depth of field suits this subject by adding further delicacy, on the whole a fantastic shot, much deserving of a top ten placing.

The close up view and wide aperture mean the depth of field in this shot is very shallow, with only a narrow slither of the image being in focus. Whether this was by accident or design, for me it works well with the subject, and this, along with the vivid colours, make this image a success. For anyone who has experience of a big tin of Quality Street (or similar) they will know that kind of squeaky noise these wrappers make when you plunge your hand into the tin to make your selection. I can almost hear that noise and smell the faint chocolate aroma as I look at this image! Well deserving of a top ten placing (and I'll have the purple one please!!)

A very clean, clear, precise shot which has been expertly captured in every sense. The colour clash is wonderful, focus is crisp and all details are sharp, with the eyes of the model luring us in. There is absolutely no doubt as to the skill of the photographer to produce work of such a high standard. However, odd as it may sound, if I have any small criticism, it is that for me the image is perhaps a little too perfect, and it is that slight lack of roughness around the edges which I think kept it out of my top three. Still well deserving of a placing, a very skillful image. Well done.